Saturday, February 27, 2016

After being the proprietor of my own community weekly newspaper from 1995 to 2001, after six years I had to toss in the towel and admit the business was a failure. I turned over what assets remained to settle some bills and took a regular job.

Being self-employed had been extremely time consuming, and as a result of taking a normal job I had - or at least felt I had - time on my hands. I started writing and submitting short stories in the fall of 2002. In March 2004 I sold "A Rocket For the Republic" to Gardner Dozois at Asimov's Science Fiction.

Fast forward a few years. I was the managing editor of a small daily newspaper from 2007 to the start of 2015 - seven and a half years. The paper struggled during the Great Recession, and by the time it was sold to a newspaper chain, I was working very long hours.

In January 2015 I took a job as managing editor of a weekly paper, and again, I took advantage of the time gained to write, but this time I tackled a novel. I wrote "Another Girl, Another Planet" in four months, from January to April of 2015. Ten months later I sold "Another Girl, Another Planet" to Kevin J. Anderson at WordFire Press.

Your mileage may vary, but at least in my case I have always taken setbacks, looked at what opportunities they may hold, and then set forward again.

There's a belief among fiction writers that any feedback from an editor sent along with a rejection is helpful. I've found that to be true; in fact, I wrote a whole book about that, "Letters From Gardner"

Yesterday I got a very good example of that. In his comments accompanying a rejection, an editor noted a certain implausibility in a scenario I set up regarding a hole 150 feet deep. I realized with a start that I goofed up what I had meant to say. I said 150 feet deep when I meant 150 feet below sea level.

Thanks to his taking the time to read the story, I now see the misfire and I'm going to do a little rewrite to correct the problem.

I've found that even when an editor doesn't "get" a story or doesn't understand something, that can be helpful. For example, if they miss some plot point, it may mean that it is too subtle, and would be missed by the reader also.

In another example, I had an alternate history story that came back with comments indicating it had been read like it was straight space opera or hard s-f (the science had been critiqued), which tipped me off I needed to submit it to someplace that was more fantasy-oriented (which was more appropriate, anyway) and it sold quickly.

Friday, February 26, 2016

I'm kind of puzzled why some people are still rehashing the 2015 Hugo nominations. That dead horse was beaten into discrete atoms months ago.

Having said that, on the blog "Women Write About Comics", Doris V. Doris Sutherland has been comparing 2015 versus 2014 nominees for a while. On Thursday her post "2014 Hugos Versus 2015 Sad Puppies: Related Works" caught my attention because she had a very fair and perceptive review of "Letters from Gardner".

She's the only person I know who actually "got" the one story that was never formally published:

"The stories themselves are hit or miss—Antonelli cheerfully admits that a few of them were rejected for good reason—but there are some strong works on offer. For my money, the best part of the book is a chapter entitled “In the Wake of the Columbia Tragedy.” Here, Antonelli describes his reaction to the shuttle disaster of 2003, which occurred over his home state of Texas. To exorcise his psychological demons following the terrible incident, he wrote a story called “Jerusalem, Jerusalem,” in which a man finds a strange crab-like being amongst debris from the crash. The protagonist realises that it is a parasite that evolved to live off spacecraft, and was responsible for destroying Columbia; he then kills it in disgust.

"Gardner Dozois rejected the story on the reasonable grounds that, while Antonelli’s motives were heartfelt, a reader could easily misinterpret the story as crass exploitation. The chapter gives insight into the creative processes of both Antonelli and Dozois, which it places into historical context..."

Sutherland was equally perceptive in December when she discussed my short story nominee, "On a Spiritual Plane:

"Antonelli acknowledges that his background as a journalist shows through in his fiction. In some of his stories, the matter-of-fact clarity of his writing style works in his favour. With “On the Spiritual Plane”, however, he picked a subject that is just too subtle to fit his authorial approach."

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Last Friday I posted on Facebook that I had gotten some really good news, and I advised everyone to stay tuned. I can announce that good news now.

I have signed a contract with WordFire Press to publish my retro-futurist alternate history novel "Another Girl, Another Planet". After 95 short story publications, I am finally committing novel.

Thanks to Publisher Kevin J. Anderson and Acquisitions Editor Dave Butler for having faith in me. I think everyone is going to enjoy "Another Girl, Another Planet", and I'm proud to become a WordPress author.

Well, I use "futurist" to describe the way society viewed the science fiction future - in the case of "Another Girl, Another Planet", the setting is what someone after World War II MIGHT have thought the space program would look in 1985. But since now 1985 is 30 years in the past, it becomes "retro".

By definition, it is alternate history, because the story takes place in a past that never happened.

WordFire Press Acquisitions Editor Dave Butler describes "Another Girl, Another Planet" as a "Heinleinian / retro-futurist / coldwarpunk story of politics, espionage, and murder on the Red Planet," adding "In this story, the US colonizes the moon under the leadership of Heinlein."

"Another Girl, Another Planet" is one of Butler's first acquisitions since he took his current post on Feb. 19. A mid-size new-model publisher, WordFire Press continues to develop and release fiction from an impressive stable of authors and creators.

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Back in 1984, I was 27, single and living in Manhattan. I decided I needed a change in scenery and decided I was going to move to Texas. As the year was closing out I was packing up, and while I was puttering around my apartment I had my favorite radio station on.

It suddenly struck me that I was going to miss WLIR, and then I had an idea. They were doing a countdown of the Top 100 alternate rock/New Wave music of 1984 on New Year's Eve. I grabbed a handful of cassette tapes and recorded it all.

It took five cassettes, but it was worth it. I still have them. This weekend I picked up a vintage Panasonic compact audio system and so I have stereo tape player to play them.

Saturday, February 20, 2016

I am proud to announce I have accepted an invitation to be a panelist at this year's ConQuesT in Kansas City again. Last year was my first visit and I enjoyed it immensely.

For many years it was impossible for me to attend this convention because it traditionally meets Memorial Day weekend. In the town where I live the annual high school graduation is held that weekend, and as the local newspaper editor it was my responsibility to attend and provide coverage for the newspaper. But I changed jobs last year, and now the local high school holds graduation the first Saturday in June, leaving me free on the Memorial Day weekend.

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Many book lovers like to talk about their experiences in haunting bookstores, especially used ones, since you can find some treasures there.

I like to be different.

Anyone can ransack the shelves in a used book store, but I like to look for books in more off the beaten path places, such as antique stores and flea markets. For example, you'd be surprised how often a flea market or antique store might have a small pile of books on a shelf some place.

They were probably picked up by the proprietor who bought up an estate sale. They often don't know much about or care much about the books, so there may be some treasures there you can get for a buck or two.

In once rummaged through a junk shop and bought a 1981 copy of Terry Carr's "Treasury of Modern Fantasy" for two bucks.

In furniture stores - both new, used, and antique - they leave books around for looks, and pay no attention to what they are, so long as they look nice. You see many volumes of Readers' Digest Condensed Books.

But one time I found a copy of the 1946 copy of "Adventures in Time and Space" sitting on an antique dresser once, and gave the shop owner 75 cents for it.

By far, the best of these secret finds was when I saw, atop a piece of antique furniture in a shop in Gladewater, Texas, a thick red book, which turned out to be a special 1926 Literary Digest Edition of The Complete Works of O. Henry published by Doubleday.

I didn't even know there was a one-volume compilation of O. Henry's short stories. It's 1,400 pages long, printed in small type on onion-skin like paper. But, wow! All that great fiction in one book. I think I gave the lady watching the shop two bucks.

Thursday, February 11, 2016

On the subject of strange curse words, this isn't a curse per se, but when I was little Jimmy Durante was still entertaining, and a couple of times when I saw him on television doing stand-up, he would mutter a word, "umbriagga".

He would say it in obvious consternation or exasperation. I just thought it was a nonsense word. Then one night my father was watching television with me, and when Durante dropped the U-word, dad chuckled.

He explained that "umbriagga" is Italian slag for schnockered - drunk. Durante was obviously expressing his opinion of some audience members.

Monday, February 08, 2016

Years ago at a convention I attended, Analog editor Stan Schmidt mentioned some story ideas he regretted never writing up. He said he always thought "The Man Who Sold His Soul For His Country" would be a great title to use for a story.

It took me 12 years, but I finally had an idea for a story that would fit that title. I finished it today. It's my first short story of 2016, the 138th I've written since 2002.

Last Saturday, as part of the Red River County Historical Society's annual Fall Bazaar, the Red River County Public Library hosted a h...

Coming next spring

"Shadow of the Cross" - A Christian-themed S-F and Fantasy collection

Biography

Lou Antonelli started writing fiction in middle age; his first story was published in 2003 when he was 46. He’s had 113 short stories published in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, India and Portugal in venues such as Asimov's Science Fiction, Jim Baen's Universe, Tales of the Talisman, Andromeda Spaceways In-Flight Magazine, Greatest Uncommon Denominator (GUD), Daily Science Fiction, Buzzy Mag, and Omni Reboot, among many others. His collections include “Fantastic Texas” published in 2009; “Texas & Other Planets” published in 2010; and “The Clock Struck None” and “Letters from Gardner”, both published in 2014. His debut novel, the retro-futurist alternate history “Another Girl, Another Planet”, was published in Jan. 2017 by WordFire Press. His story “Great White Ship”, originally published in Daily Science Fiction, was a 2013 finalist for the Sidewise Award for alternate history. His short story “On a Spiritual Plain”, originally published in Sci Phi Journal, was a finalist for the Hugo award in 2015. His first professional science fiction short story, “A Rocket for the Republic” (Asimov’s Science Fiction Sept. 2005) was the last story accepted by Editor Gardner Dozois before he retired after 19 years. “The Yellow Flag” his 100th published short story (Sci-Phi Journal Aug. 2016) set the record for all-time fastest turnaround in genre fiction. It was written, submitted and accepted between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on May 6, 2015 A Massachusetts native, Antonelli moved to Texas in 1985 and is married to Dallas native Patricia (Randolph) Antonelli. They have three adopted furbaby children.

Lou's Debut Novel

Click here to purchase "Another Girl, Another Planet"

Upcoming Short Story Publications

"Stuck in the Middle With You" - Whispers of the Apocalypse anthology

"Sketches From the Apocalypse" - Toys Sha'Daa anthology.

"The Girl Who Died Twice" - Mars-themed Superversive Press anthology

"The Wrong Venus" - Venus-themed Superversive Press anthology

"Last Call" - Mercury-themed Superversive Press anthology

"The Man Who Sold His Soul For His Country" - Forbidden Thoughts 2 anthology

From the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction

"In a spare, swift, convincing narrative style, conveying in a deadpan voice a wide array of sometimes Paranoid suppositions about the world, Antonelli juxtaposes realities with very considerable skill, creating a variety of Alternate Worlds, some of them somewhat resembling the constructions of Howard Waldrop, and making some sharp points about American history, race relations, dreams, and occasional nightmares in which the twentieth century goes wrong."

Latest reviews

"It’s possible that you haven’t run into the stories of Lou Antonelli. Since 2003, he’s been publishing delightful short tales of alternate history all over the nooks and crannies of the SF world. Thanks to Fantastic Books, we now have 28 of these little gems in one place. "Many of Antonelli’s stories have an unexpected twist ending. And many of them are what he calls “secret history” stories, which aren’t exactly alternate history—they’re set in our familiar history, but there’s always some element that contemporary observers missed. " -

- Don Sakers, The Reference Library, Analog July-Aug. 2014

A better path develops for a distraught man in “Double Exposure” by Lou Antonelli (debut 6/11 and reviewed by Frank D). Jake is about to end it all. He has been trying to keep his high maintenance wife happy for decades and has needed to embezzle to satisfy her spending habits. Now, on the verge of indictment and abandoned by his spouse, he buys a gun. Before he pulls the trigger, he spies a Kodak one-day photo hut. Curious, he pulls up to the window. They are holding pictures of him and his last girlfriend from 30 years before. The package is a lot thicker than it should be. Double Exposure” is listed as an Alternative History story but I would classify it as a Magical Realism tale. It is set as a second chance tale, a look into a life that should have been. The author is inspired by his memories of the old photo huts (I remember them) and of their disappearance. A cool idea (photos of another life), one that I could imagine would make for a great anthology.

- Frank Dutkiewicz, Diabolical Plots

“Great White Ship”: A traveler stuck waiting for a flight strikes up a conversation with an old airline employee. The Old Timer tells him a story of a Great White Airship that arrives from a most unusual destination. The story of a craft from an alternate reality and how it got there is only the precursor to the final act. This is one of my favorite stories from this site. I have a great passion for lighter-than-air craft and their potential as a future means of transport, which opens the story. The author uses this speculation to launch into an engaging tale. As fascinating as the main story line is, the alternate history premise that accompanies it is just as worthwhile. This story was well written and very well thought out. It is well worth the read. Recommended.